by MattW - May 30, 2004

The Unreal franchise has taken us in interesting directions. Unreal, the one that started it all, was loved by some and written off by others as a Quake clone. But then, a little gem known as Unreal Tournament came out which had Id Games shaping the direction of Quake 3 with a focus on multiplayer. To the surprise of many, Unreal Tournament proved (at least in this gamer�s opinion) to be the better of the two, offering more intuitive game play, intense play modes (who could forget Assault?) and a much more rewarding single player experience. Although Doom 3 is on the horizon, Id has yet to up its ante. In that time, Epic Games and Digital Extremes has released Unreal 2 (which was, sadly, mediocre if you exclude the multiplayer expansion) and the superb Unreal Tournament 2003. When I heard they would have a sequel to UT 2003 in 2004, I must admit I was skeptical at what they could do to make a whole new product. Wouldn�t an expansion be more ideal? Wrong.

Gameplay

Naturally, the story is crap and can be ignored. What cannot be ignored, though, is the sheer amount of options. Available for both single and multiplayer, you have 10 different play modes, including standard death match, Capture the Flag, the return of the beloved Assault, a King of the Hill style play, and probably the most important addition, Onslaught.

Taking a cue from some of the best FPS of recent memory (namely, Battlefield 1942 and Halo), Onslaught borrows the things that made those games so fun and slaps the Unreal level of quality you would expect from Epic Games by now. Onslaught divides players into teams, each of which have a base with a power core which their opponent is trying to destroy. Before it can even be damaged, though, players must establish a link from their base to the other through a type of connect-the-dots. There are nodes scattered throughout the map which players must claim starting with the ones that are closest to the base. You construct nodes, and, once construction is complete, that point can be used to get ammo, vehicles, and to respawn. Once a node next to the enemy base is secured, the power core can be damaged and all hell will break loose. Of course, nodes can be destroyed and will likely exchange hands many times within a single match, making for some very intense games.

Oh, and did I say vehicles? Fast or slow, land or air, UT 2004 delivers some of the most balanced vehicular combat in a FPS to date. Choose from armored cars, faster moving buggies, tanks, hovercraft (a personal favorite) and a fast little plane known as the Raptor. Unlike BF 1942, players cannot ambush their enemy�s base by hijacking their vehicles and using them against them, although if something is abandoned then it�s fair game. The physics of the engine really show off when you�re driving as you go over hills, bumps, and stop suddenly, keeping the fast pace that all the UT games are known for. Frankly, their integration into the game is seamless and it makes for a wonderful experience. With the exception of the tanks, everything moves at a good speed, and you�ll need it, too, as these maps are considerably bigger than what you�d expect from UT.

With all of these well armed, fast moving things flying about, it�s good to know that the weapons (both in Onslaught and otherwise) are as well balanced as ever. There are 2 types of rocket launchers now, the old school one which can fire 4 at once and a new one which can home in on any vehicle, land or sky, as long as its within the players view. The much loved sniper rifle which also was missing from UT 2003 has returned, although it doesn�t replace the lightening gun. Other than that, not much has changed, but if ain�t broken, why fix it? Every weapon still has 2 functions, practically doubling the amount of weapons you have at your disposal, and old favorites like the flack cannon will please any UT veteran.

Graphics

Aside from the weapon selection, the largest similarity that UT 2004 has with last year�s incarnation is its graphics. Included is every map from UT 2003, and although you�re playing 2003 instead of 2004.

That�s not exactly a bad thing, though, since UT 2003 still looks wonderful and, as a result, so does UT 2004. From the reflection off of water in a pond to the expansive outdoor arenas, frame rates are smooth and the game remains colorful. What�s greater is that Epic geared this game to run on even the lowest of low-end machines. I witnessed a friend at a LAN party running this game in software renderer with an onboard video card! For other games of this genre, that�s unheard of, and (much like Blizzard with Warcraft 3) it�s nice to see developers looking out for gamers who can�t afford the newest, greatest video cards.

Sound

While the music won�t win any awards, it does its job and keeps you immersed in the action, which is a very good thing. The taunts which follow a kill are basically lifted from the other two games, and if you don�t have time to look at the corner of the screen every time someone gets fragged, it�s nice to have some audio to clue you in, especially in team games. Weapons and vehicles all sound appropriate, but again, they rarely exceed that description. Little touches like footsteps and echoes add a lot, whether you�ve got your headphones on at a LAN or in the comfort of 5.1 surround sound.

Fun Factor

Sadly, the only experience I have with the multiplayer aspect of this game was at a LAN or two, and since I�m on dial up I�ve never gone online with UT 2004. While any game is infinitely better when playing with friends, the AI in this game can definitely hold its own. Maybe I�m a little rusty, but on some of the harder settings those bots are downright perfect killers and do not disappoint. The single player mode in this game has a little more depth than previous UT games, adding a credit system which is used to hire teammates who then charge you at the beginning of each match. Winning matches wins you credits, but if you lose a match you may have to treat your team�s injuries at your own expense. The single player is everything you�d expect from a UT game, taking you through all the various modes of play. Those who can�t get online shouldn�t fear; the single player options are more than worth the price of admission and will result in more than a few sleepless nights.

Plasma Factor

This score could have been higher than a 7 if there was some more originality here. Yes, we've seen most of this before, but that doesn't make it any less fun. It should be noted this game takes a whopping 6 GB to install! You might end up uninstalling some other games for this one, but don�t worry, it�s worth it. The game comes in 2 versions, a set of 6 cd roms or a limited edition 2 DVD set, one for the game and one for extras about the game�s development and whatnot. Not bad eh?

Conclusion

The bottom line is that this game is a must for any FPS fan. Unreal Tournament 2004 is much more than just a rehash of 2003. The new modes, weapons, and the addition of vehicles make this game worth every penny and give other games which came before it (BF 1942, Halo) a run for their money.